To Love You More
by writtenfables
Summary: Siblings, Rachel and Blaine move to New York to start a new life after high school. Blaine just wants to break free from his walls, and there's a chance that a certain professor may be able to help with that. Rated M - Warnings inside. -
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

**Chapters are being revised, thanks to my beta amandapanda222. **

**Summary: Siblings, Rachel and Blaine move to New York to start a new life after high school. Blaine just wants to break free of his walls, and there's a chance that a certain professor may be able to help with that. Anderberry/AgeDifference!Klaine/Professor!Kurt/Student!Blaine**

**So this story is angsty. This is my first attempt at something sensitive as this. Before you read this story, READ THE WARNINGS!**

**WARNINGS: Angst. Talk of physical and emotional abuse, along with sexual. There is nothing highly descriptive and there is no rape. The story is rated M, whether or not there will be smut is up in the air, but it's not likely. **

**Enjoy the story!**

* * *

**.: Chapter 1 :.**

* * *

Blaine Anderson-Berry cringed at the sound of the door sliding open. His twin sister Rachel, had just opened the door to their loft apartment. She squealed with excitement as she walked into the large area. He looked at it with indifference.

"Blaine! Isn't this just absolutely breathtaking? I know it's all one room, with the exception of closets and a bathroom, but it's perfect. What do you think?" Rachel asked. Blaine shrugged his shoulders. It was a huge loft.

He had seen pictures of it, and Rachel was so adamant about renting it. Their fathers knew the owner relatively well so they got a great deal on the rent; they were students after all. He liked the loft, he really did. Lately, he just couldn't get excited about some things anymore. Rachel knew this and didn't take offense to it.

"I know how much you like having the window so you can have the sun on your side, so you can have that side of the loft," Rachel said, pointing to the side where there was a large window. He offered a small smile.

"Thanks. We should get our stuff," Blaine said. Rachel nodded.

"Of course! Good thing we don't have a lot to do. We are starting our first class tomorrow at NYU," Rachel said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"NYADA is crazy not to accept you. You can still try again in a few months," Blaine said, sympathetically. Rachel took in a breath.

"I'm still thinking about it. I have a lot to go over and songs to think about. Anyway, NYU isn't bad. It's a great school." Rachel paused mid-sentence. "I wish you would have auditioned for..."

"We have to get our stuff, Rachel. I'm getting hungry," Blaine changed the subject. Rachel sighed, but nodded in agreement. The last thing Blaine wanted to talk about was that particular subject.

* * *

It took a few hours into the night, but Rachel and Blaine had their things, including their beds in the loft without an issue. Rachel put in an order for Chinese food. Neither one was going to cook tonight. Plus, they didn't have food in their fridge just yet.

Blaine and Rachel Anderson-Berry grew up in Lima, Ohio and had just moved to New York to attend NYU. Rachel had auditioned for a dramatic arts school called NYADA. It was a top rated school and very difficult to get accepted. Rachel had a great audition, according to everybody including her brother, but the dean told her that while she sang beautifully, she played it too safe and lacked confidence.

Blaine thought it was complete bullshit. His sister was more confident than he was. They both applied for NYU as their safety schools and were accepted. Both signed up for Dramatic Literature. Blaine was still indifferent about his future. It had been such a horrible year for him that he really didn't care much about his future.

Blaine made up his bed when there was a knock at the door. Their food had arrived. Rachel answered the door, paid for the food and brought two bags over by where they had set a blanket on the floor. They still needed to buy a dining table and chairs later. Blaine took one bag while Rachel kept the other. The loft was still huge and somewhat empty. Rachel had helped Blaine put up what was called a privacy curtain that separated their sides of the lofts. Neither of them was dating anybody so the subject of having dates at the apartment hadn't come up yet. Blaine was openly gay, but had never had a real boyfriend.

Rachel had broken up with her boyfriend before coming to New York. She cared for him greatly, but she knew that she didn't love him. Rachel handed Blaine a couple of chopsticks as she opened up a container of rice.

"It'll be our home soon enough. We can do some shopping this weekend if you want," Rachel said. Blaine nodded, eating a couple of pieces of orange chicken.

"Will you take some music courses at NYU? Maybe vocal or strings or something..." Rachel asked, timidly. Blaine looked at his sister, apathetic written all over his face.

"No," he answered.

"At least think about it? It's still the beginning," Rachel said. Blaine ate another piece of chicken, mainly to keep from talking about that subject anymore. Rachel meant well, she was his rock. Sometimes, though, she tends to push a little too hard. So did their dads.

"I've been doing some research for our classes," Rachel said, changing to a lighter subject. Blaine was grateful.

"Really?" Blaine asked.

"We are getting some really nice professors. One that seems to be pretty well known is our Shakespeare I professor, Mr. Hummel," Rachel answered. "He's only been there for a few years, but he seems like a really good teacher. I'm looking forward to it. How about you?" Rachel asked.

"I suppose. I'll think about taking at least on music course," Blaine said, offering a gentle smile to his sister.

"Okay," Rachel said, trying to keep her squeal at bay. Blaine let out a small chuckle as they ate the rest of their food in comfortable silence.

* * *

The first day of classes wasn't so bad. Rachel and Blaine only got lost twice. Their last class of the day was Mr. Hummel's Shakespeare I class. Blaine enjoyed literature so having a dramatic literature major didn't bother him. On the other hand, while Rachel didn't hate her classes, NYU wasn't where she wanted to be.

Rachel found the classroom and gestured for Blaine to follow her. It was like any other regular classroom. Other students had already claimed their seats. Rachel found two desks for her and Blaine and practically dragged him to them. The first day of classes were more for introduction and passing out the syllabus for the class.

Blaine settled into his desk when someone walked into the classroom and closed the door behind him. He was a tall, slender man. His hair was an auburn color, neatly styled. He wore a dark blue vest with a white long sleeved shirt; sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and pants that matched the vest. The other students in the classroom got to their desks as soon as the man sat on his desk, not at it, but on it.

"Afternoon, I'm Professor Kurt Hummel, and this is Shakespeare I. Today, like all your other classes I assume, we will just sit back and I'll give you a syllabus and tell you basically what this class is and I expect," Professor Hummel started.

"He's cute," Rachel whispered to Blaine. That he couldn't argue with.

"You can call me Mr. Hummel or Professor Hummel, doesn't matter to me. This class has technically two parts to it during the semester. For the first part, we will go into Mr. William Shakespeare's history. You'll take a midterm and then we'll send the second half the semester studying his writings. Next semester is Shakespeare II, where we will only study his writings."

"I don't take attendance. I do want to learn all of your names, though. I'm very easygoing. So, be honest with me if you are having trouble or if you didn't do an assignment because you didn't feel like it," Kurt said with a shrug. "You are the one that controls whether you pass or fail this class. I simply give you that choice. I don't tolerate nonsense. If you are not here to learn, drop this class immediately. Now, I will pass out the syllabus and then we will take a few minutes to go around the class and just introduce yourselves."

Kurt handed out the papers to each student. Rachel and Blaine were the last ones to get papers. Blaine offered a small smile to Kurt, to which Kurt returned. Kurt sat back down on his desk and asked for someone to start with introductions. A few girls and a couple of guys went until Kurt's eyes wandered to Rachel and Blaine.

"How about the two of you?" Kurt asked. Rachel was the first to stand, which was fine with Blaine.

"I'm Rachel Anderson-Berry and this is my twin brother, Blaine Anderson-Berry. We just moved here from Lima, Ohio. This is our first time away from home, and in New York. It's been a dream of mine and Blaine's for a long time," Rachel said. Kurt smiled at the girl.

"I actually grew up in Lima, too. Definitely a change for the better," Kurt commented. Blaine nodded.

"Blaine? Would you like to say something?" Kurt asked. Blaine looked at Kurt and shook his head.

"No. No, thank you," Blaine answered. Kurt continued to look at Blaine.

"Just one thing?" Kurt asked. Blaine licked his lips. He wished his professor didn't look at him like that. He could feel his cheeks were slightly warm.

"Rachel kind of already summed it up," Blaine answered. Rachel sat back down in her desk. "But I did have some of the best Chinese food I've ever had last night." Rachel rolled her eyes, but Kurt let out a breathy chuckle.

"Lima isn't exactly known for their fine cuisine," Kurt commented. Blaine gave a smile.

"That's for damn sure," Blaine commented. Kurt smiled, satisfied that Blaine at least said something more. Rachel just shook her head as Kurt continued with class.

* * *

Kurt Hummel locked the classroom door after his last class. He adjusted his shoulder strap as he headed to his car. He had a lot to plan for the first weekend. Kurt Hummel was a well-liked professor at NYU. His lessons were well thought out and, very laid back. He enjoyed his job immensely. Every first weekend of the first semester, Kurt would host a small party for his new students. Some older students would attend, too, but it was mainly to get to know his newcomers.

He had a large apartment, so space was not an issue. He hopped into his car and drove out of his assigned parking space. His last class usually ended just a little after five. He decided to only teach one class the first semester. Last year was a big workload, so he decided to take it easy. He drove to one of his favorite diners, The Starlight Diner. He ordered his food and got out before there was a large crowd.

The Starlight Diner was his first ever job when he moved to New York. He performed a lot of numbers at that place. Tips were pretty good, but like every job like that, he had to really save up. He took his food and drove to his apartment. He lived at that apartment for a few years now. He lived with his boyfriend at the time, but after they broke up, Kurt found his apartment and never left.

He hadn't had a relationship since he and Brandon broke-up. They don't talk anymore, and Kurt actually preferred it that way. Kurt walked up to his apartment, unlocked the door and walked in. He put down his food and dropped his keys in a bowl next to the door. There was a side table where he kept a bowl for his keys, wallet, and maybe some spare change.

It had been a few years since Kurt visited Ohio. His family always came to New York to see him. He believed his stepmother, Carole, secretly preferred coming to New York. It was all right. There was nothing about Ohio Kurt liked other than his family. It was a surprise when he found two of his students actually just moved from there.

Kurt sighed as he sat down on his couch and opened his food on the coffee table. He had a feeling it was going to be an interesting semester.

* * *

The past few days, Rachel and Blaine had been buried in schoolwork. They had a recent Skype call from their fathers. Rachel did most of the talking, of course, but all in all, they were happy to see their children grown up. Now that they had a better idea of how classes and homework were going to go, they had to start thinking of getting part-time jobs.

Their fathers were helping them financially, but they had to think about putting away savings for rainy days or for when they needed or wanted something. That was always part of the agreement. Blaine remembered seeing an ad for a couple of servers for a diner called The Starlight Diner. The only thing he would have to try to dodge was performing.

Blaine hadn't performed anything since his horrible incident.

"Why don't we go fill out the applications right now?" Rachel asked, as they walked off the campus. They didn't have a car, but it wasn't like their apartment wasn't close to the campus. Blaine was always with Rachel whenever they had to walk somewhere that wasn't just down the sidewalk or across the street.

"Sure. We can get something to eat while we're there," Blaine answered. Rachel nodded. Rachel was a vegan, Blaine wasn't. Rachel wasn't opposed to Blaine eating or cooking meat, because he always made something extra for Rachel that was vegan friendly. They walked into the diner and Rachel was the one who went up to the man behind the counter to ask for the applications.

Blaine took a seat at one of the empty tables. The diner had a sort of fifties style to it. Neon light signs on different parts of the walls, and the windows. There was an upstairs where he saw other servers walking back and forth from table to table. The main attraction was the stage with a microphone and a piano. He had heard about servers performing different numbers on sporadic occasions. He wouldn't mind being in the chorus, but singing solos wasn't on his to do list, not anymore.

"Blaine?" He heard his name and looked up. Mr. Hummel looked at him with a wide smile. Blaine got up.

"Mr. Hummel," Blaine greeted.

"Outside of class, you can call me Kurt," he said. Blaine offered a small smile and nodded. Rachel came back to Blaine with two pieces of paper.

"If we fill these out now, he can interview us on the spot," Rachel said, handing Blaine a piece of paper.

"Are you two applying here?" Kurt asked. Rachel smiled.

"Mr. Hummel! How nice to see you," she said, happily. Kurt smiled warmly at the girl.

"Call me Kurt when we are outside of class," Kurt said.

"Of course. And to answer your question, yes. Only part-time though. Don't worry, I will not let Blaine or myself slack off in your class," Rachel promised. Kurt laughed a little while Blaine shook his head and sat back down at the table.

"I have no doubt about that," Kurt said. He looked over at Blaine who was writing frantically on the paper. "I'm actually glad I bumped into you two. Do you have any plans for Saturday evening?"

"I don't believe so. If we get hired today, we would have to just go to a quick orientation, but I don't think so. Blaine?" Rachel asked. Blaine looked at Rachel and shook his head. Kurt clapped his hands.

"Excellent. I'm having a sort of get-together at my apartment. I try to throw a little gathering for my new students. Some of my old ones come, too, but it's mainly a gathering to get to know each other," Kurt said. Rachel loved parties. Blaine used to like parties.

"That would be wonderful. Is there anything we can bring?" Rachel asked. Blaine kept to himself. He didn't agree to go.

"Just yourselves. Blaine?" Kurt asked. Blaine looked up at Kurt.

"I'm not sure. Rachel will be there, though," Blaine answered, giving the pen to Rachel. There was sadness about Blaine. He hardly talked. Kurt pulled a chair from the table and sat across from Blaine. The sadness felt so familiar to Kurt.

"Come on, Blaine. When would you pass down a chance for free food?" Rachel tried to joke. It only got a small smile out of him.

"I would really like it if you would come. I want to get to know all of my students. Try to anyway," Kurt tried to persuade. Blaine hadn't noticed just how blue Kurt's eyes were, a sort of ocean blue with a hint of green around the pupils. He couldn't deny it; Kurt's eyes were beautiful. Blaine cleared his throat.

"Maybe. I'll think about it. I'm going to go turn in my application," Blaine said, quickly, getting up from the table. Blaine watched Blaine go to the counter and talk with the owner. Like Blaine, Kurt also had a chance to really see Blaine's eyes, a honey-like color. Light green with brown faded into it, like a perfect gradient. Kurt shook his head and looked at Rachel.

"I'm sorry for my brother," she apologized softly. Kurt pondered asking Rachel about Blaine. He decided against it, though. It seemed inappropriate, especially since they were in a very public place where Blaine could come back at any moment.

"I should pick up my order and get going. I do hope you both will come," Kurt said, quickly writing down his address and handing it to Rachel. Rachel nodded and took the address. Kurt got up and walked to the main counter. Blaine was leaning over the counter while Kurt grabbed the white bag that was waiting for him.

"I gave Rachel my address. I hope I see you there," Kurt added. Blaine looked at Kurt.

"I'll think about it," Blaine repeated, voice a bit softer than it was before. Kurt nodded.

"I'll see you later, Blaine," Kurt said. Blaine nodded and watched Kurt walk out of the diner. Kurt gazed through the window as he watched Blaine talk with the owner briefly. Rachel walked up to the counter and handed the man her application.

Kurt barely knew Blaine. It had hardly been a week since classes started, and yet, Kurt felt as if there is something about Blaine that just drew him to Blaine. That was absurd to think because Blaine was his student. And yet, there was something about Blaine. He was quiet, hesitant, almost closed off. When Kurt looked him in the eyes, he could see sadness and a bit of fright, blocked behind some protective wall.

Kurt knew those feelings all too well. He sighed and continued to walk. He had a party to plan and he really did hope Blaine would come with Rachel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

**I really do like the responses I'm getting for this story. Thank you to amandapanda222 for being my beta for this story.**

**This chapter starts off with getting mini flashbacks of Blaine's past. The rest will cover both Kurt's and Blaine's.**

* * *

**.: Chapter 2 :.**

* * *

Rachel checked and rechecked her outfit. She was wearing a long black and white shirt with a pair of jeans. Her hair flowed freely, dangling over the middle of her back. She let out a breath and walked out of her side of the loft. It was Saturday evening, the night of Professor Kurt Hummel's gathering for new students. Her and Blaine got part time jobs at the diner and wouldn't have to start until Monday after their last class. It would only be a few hours, so that gave them enough time to train for the day and still go home to do any homework that was assigned.

Blaine still hadn't given a straight answer as to whether he was going to go with her or not. It made her sad to see her brother like that. He wasn't the same since the incident. Rachel loved her brother and she would always be there for him. That didn't mean she couldn't try to find that lovable goofball he used to be. Rachel checked her phone. Kurt's party was going to start in about twenty minutes. She let out a breath and turned toward Blaine's side of the loft. The curtain was covering his area, so she couldn't see him.

"Blaine?" she called. In that moment, Blaine pushed the curtain open. She gasped, a wide smile spread across her face.

"Sorry. Had trouble with my hair," Blaine responded. He was dressed in a white undershirt, black long sleeved shirt that was buttoned from mid to bottom, and dark blue jeans. His hair was slightly styled, but his curls hung free. Rachel remembered how Blaine used to drown his hair with gel. She was happy to see he let his hair breathe now. Rachel smiled warmly.

"You look so great. Does that mean you're going with me to Professor Hummel's party?" Rachel asked, hopefully. Blaine smiled as he tugged at his shirt a little.

"No. I thought I would get all dressed up and order Chinese food. That stuff was really good," Blaine joked. Rachel swatted her brother playfully.

"I'm so glad you're coming. It wouldn't have been any fun without you," Rachel said, linking her arm with Blaine's. He led them out of the loft.

"I'm really not much fun anymore..." Blaine muttered, but Rachel heard him anyway. She squeezed his arm.

"Blaine..." Rachel started but Blaine shook his head. He wasn't going to talk about it and she let it go, for now.

* * *

There was a loud, obnoxious pounding on Kurt's door. He groaned as he went to answer it. A few of his students had already arrived. Music played softly in the background. People were eating and conversing. It was starting out as a nice gathering. Not everybody had arrived, though, including Rachel and Blaine. Kurt peaked through the peephole and gasped.

"Finn Hudson!" Kurt yelped as he opened the door. He found his tall, smiling stepbrother behind the door.

"Surprise!" Finn said. Kurt sighed happily as he hugged his brother. It had been a little since they saw each other.

"Oh! Are you having a party? Is it your usual?" Finn asked, walking into the apartment. Kurt noticed a single bag in his hand. Kurt closed the door.

"It is. What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you," Kurt asked. Finn smiled as he followed Kurt through the kitchen and to his room.

"I had some time before school started, so I thought I'd come surprise you for a few days. Was that okay? I didn't, like, come at a bad time, did I?" Finn asked, putting his bag on the floor.

"No, no, not at all. I have plenty of food, so help yourself. I'm just waiting on a few more students to arrive," Kurt answered. "It's so good to see you, Finn!" Kurt hugged his brother again. Finn smiled and accepted the hug.

"You too, man." There was another knock on the door. Kurt made a noise before he raced to the door and looked through the hole again. He couldn't help the smile. He opened the door to see Rachel and Blaine.

"You came! Come on in!" Kurt said. Rachel smiled and walked in first. Blaine followed behind. Kurt closed the door behind him.

"Your place is beautiful. So well decorated," Rachel complimented. Blaine looked around. He couldn't disagree. Kurt's apartment was large, but looked a bit small because of all the people. There was a large living room with a loveseat and a large sofa. To the back, there was a glass sliding door with a balcony just outside.

He turned back to Kurt who was looking at Rachel fondly.

"Thank you. I have a thing for interior design. Make yourselves at home. I have food in the kitchen. I have a lot of books over there," Kurt said, pointing to one part of the living room. There was a corner with a large bookshelf. Every part of the shelf was filled with books.

"Hey, Kurt! What's that smell?" Finn called out. Kurt's eyes widened.

"Oh shit!" He yelled, without realizing what he said. He ran into the kitchen. Rachel laughed a little, and Blaine smiled.

"Do you want to mingle?" Rachel asked. Blaine shrugged.

* * *

Kurt pulled out a tray of cupcakes. They didn't burn, thank goodness. Finn had gone to the bathroom to take a shower. He had a couple of trays of hors d'oeuvres. He had bought a vegetable assortment with dipping sauce in the middle. There was a plate with little finger sandwiches, as well as a few bowls of varied chips and dip. Kurt loved to cook and having a party was a perfect excuse to go as overboard as he wanted.

In some ways, it was an added bonus that Finn was going to be staying with him for a while. Any food Kurt couldn't get rid of himself, Finn would take care of without any problems. Kurt was about to make one more batch of sweets when he heard someone walk into the kitchen. He turned to see it was Blaine.

"Hi," he greeted. Kurt smiled.

"Hi. I know it's too soon to tell, but are you having fun?" Kurt asked, mixing in some ingredients.

"Sure. If, by fun, you mean listening to my sister talk about nothing in particular non-stop, then yes," Blaine said with a smile. Kurt laughed a little.

"She is quite the chatterbox," Kurt commented.

"That she is. Can I ask? What else are you making?" Kurt paused for a moment.

"Cupcakes. I already have a batch made and I was about to start another one," Kurt said, happily. Blaine was afraid of that.

"Did Rachel tell you that she's vegan?" Blaine asked, sheepishly. Kurt stopped mixing. His eyes widened. How could he have forgotten to ask his students something like that? There he was, making cupcakes and other food and he didn't think to ask anybody if they were allergic or didn't eat certain things. He turned to Blaine, pure fright on his face.

"I can't believe I didn't think to ask! Oh my god!" Kurt nearly yelled. Blaine hurried over to Kurt's side.

"No worries. Tell me what all you have in your kitchen." Kurt let out a breath as he showed Blaine what he had in the cupboards and the fridge. Blaine took in every information Kurt gave him. After a few minutes, Blaine had everything worked out.

"You actually have ingredients for vegan cupcakes. She won't touch the finger sandwiches because of the meat, but I can make her a plate of her own. Vegan cupcakes don't sound too appetizing, but the way I make them, they are actually quite good," Blaine said, mentally planning out the food he was about to prepare. Kurt was amazed.

"You really know your way around the kitchen," Kurt commented. Blaine was grabbing the ingredients and arranging them in order of what went first. Without asking, he bent down and opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a large bowl. Blaine smiled at Kurt, a genuine one.

"Cooking is one of my favorite things to do. I like being able to create something with food. It's my art," Blaine said. Kurt smiled warmly.

"I do, too. I should be able..." Kurt started to reach for something, but Blaine held up his own hand.

"I got it. You go be a good host and I'll take care of this," Blaine said. Kurt shook his head.

"I couldn't let you do that, Blaine. You're supposed to enjoy the party," Kurt said. Blaine wasn't budging.

"Go on now," Blaine said, gesturing his fingers in a quick forward motion. Kurt took a few steps back, chuckling.

"All right then. I'll check on you in a few minutes," Kurt said, holding hands up in defeat. Blaine smiled as he went back to the ingredients on the counter, just waiting to be mixed together.

* * *

Kurt waited a few minutes before he joined Rachel and a small group of students with whom she was chatting. Just before Kurt could add anything to conversation, he heard Finn walk through the kitchen and into the living room. He waved at his brother.

"Finn," he called.

"Did you hire a cook?" Finn asked. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"No. That's Blaine; he's one of my students. I...sort of goofed up when preparing food," Kurt answered. Rachel turned to Kurt.

"Blaine is cooking in your kitchen?" Rachel asked.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel," Kurt said, instead of answering. "I didn't know you were vegan and I should have asked something like that when inviting new people to a gathering." Rachel smiled sweetly.

"It's all right. It never really comes up that often. Blaine really took the time to learn to cook and find out what he could make for me. He's sweet like that," Rachel answered.

"Kurt makes me goodies when I come to visit," Finn added. Rachel looked at the unfamiliar, very tall man next to Kurt.

"Oh! Rachel, this is my stepbrother, Finn. Finn? This is Rachel; she's one of my students and Blaine's sister." Finn smiled and held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Finn said. Rachel took the offering hand.

"Likewise. Do you live in New York too?" Rachel asked. Finn shook his head.

"No. I live in Ohio actually. I'm McKinley High's glee club teacher. Maybe New York will give me some more ideas," Finn said, taking his hand away. The small group Rachel was speaking with had separated and mingled with other students. Blaine walked out of the kitchen with a small plate with what looked like a whole sandwich cut into two, and handed it to Rachel.

"It might be a little dry, but there's cucumber slices and a few bits of avocados," Blaine said. Rachel smiled and took the plate.

"Sounds wonderful, thank you," Rachel said. Blaine smiled.

"I also have a batch of vegan friendly cupcakes in the oven," Blaine added. Kurt folded his arms across his chest.

"What's your major again?" he asked.

"Dramatic Literature," Blaine answered.

"Dude. You could totally be a chef or something," Finn said. Blaine shrugged.

"I like to cook. But I don't love it enough to do it the rest of my life. I'll be right back," Blaine said, heading into the kitchen again. Kurt turned to Rachel who had taken a few bites of the sandwich.

"Rachel...may I ask you something about Blaine?" Kurt started. Rachel swallowed her bite. Nobody noticed someone else walking into the kitchen. Finn, however, eyed the person briefly.

"Umm...of course. What do you want to ask?" Kurt paused for a moment. He couldn't get to his question. Finn had run into the kitchen when he heard a loud noise.

* * *

Blaine felt as if he was in his own zone when he was cooking. He had no idea who the tall guy was, but the idea of being a chef never crossed Blaine's mind. He loved music. He wanted to write music, play music, and maybe even one day teach music. He hadn't touched music or even sang anything since the incident. He was looking at the cupcakes in the oven when he heard someone walk into the kitchen. He assumed it was Kurt or Rachel. When he turned around, he was surprised the person wasn't either one.

"Hi," Blaine said, turning back to the food on the counter. The other person was a guy. Blaine had seen him a few times in his classes. He was about Blaine's height, broad shoulders, straight dirty blonde hair, and he was dressed casual in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"You're Blaine, right?" he asked, walking slowly toward Blaine.

"Yeah," he answered, feeling uncomfortable with every step the boy was taking toward him.

"I'm Tom. We have a few classes together," Tom introduced, politely. Blaine just shrugged, trying to concentrate on what he wanted to do next. The only problem was Tom was getting closer and Blaine's heart was racing.

"I know," Blaine answered, timidly. Tom didn't pick up on the hint.

"So, you cook? That's cool. Can I ask...are you gay? If I'm totally overstepping my boundaries..." Tom talked and he was standing close to Blaine, _too_ close for Blaine's comfort. Tom kept talking, putting his hand on Blaine's shoulder. The small weight of the hand was enough.

* * *

_Blaine fell to the ground, hard force kicking him in the stomach. He groaned in pain. Nobody cared to stop or help. There was laughter. Blaine tried to get up but he was pushed back down._

"_Stay down faggot. We ain't done yet!"_

* * *

Blaine hadn't realized it until much later. He pushed Tom away from him and yelled to go away. When he did, his hand hit the tray of already made cupcakes, hitting the floor. Tom held up his hands, breathing heavily. Blaine was looking down at the floor, with the cupcakes splattered around him. Loud footsteps came into the kitchen.

"What the hell's going on?" Finn demanded. Kurt was right behind him, Rachel next to him.

"I don't know! I just talked and he started freaking out," Tom said in a panicky voice. Rachel ran over to her brother.

"Blaine? What's wrong? Talk to me," Rachel said, trying to take a hold of Blaine's hand. He jerked it away, trying desperately to keep the tears from falling. He didn't pay attention to the few students standing in the kitchen way, staring at him.

"I can't do this. I shouldn't have come. I knew I couldn't handle this," Blaine muttered with a cracked voice. Kurt walked around Finn. Tom had backed away to join the other students. Finn looked down to see the cupcakes on the floor and started to pick them up.

"Blaine? Do you want to go sit down somewhere?" Kurt offered, putting his hand on Blaine's shoulder. Without thinking, Blaine slapped his hand away, stepping back as far away from Kurt as he could.

"Don't touch me! Don't _ever_ touch me!" Blaine yelled. Kurt stepped away.

"Okay. It's okay," Kurt said. Blaine let a few tears roll down his cheeks.

"I gotta go home. I can't stay here," Blaine said.

"All right. We'll go home, Blaine," Rachel promised. She turned around to see the other students still staring.

"All right, show's over! Go on!" Rachel gestured with his hands. The group dispersed. Finn reached up and put the cupcakes onto the stove. He saw the oven was still on and quickly turned it off.

"You don't have to, Rachel. I know you want to stay," Blaine said, softly.

"Absolutely not! We will go home together," Rachel insisted. She reached for his hands again and this time, Blaine didn't pull away.

"Do you want me to walk with you guys? There's always safety in numbers," Finn offered. Kurt liked that idea.

"Will that be all right, Blaine? I would feel much better if you and Rachel had someone walk with you," Kurt said, gently. Blaine started to calm down a little. He took a few deep breaths, Rachel holding onto his hands. Kurt had taken a few steps toward him. Blaine turned to Kurt, his eyes slightly red. It broke Kurt's heart to see Blaine like this, and not know why.

"No offense, but I don't know who that guy is," Blaine said.

"His name is Finn. He's my brother. He's a good guy and can look after you two until you get home. Please," Kurt said, taking a risk and putting his hand lightly on the low of Blaine's back. He flinched a little, but he didn't slap it away or yell again.

"Okay," Blaine whispered.

"Okay," Kurt said. Rachel nodded, guiding Blaine to the front door. Finn followed behind, and shot a few looks toward the other students for staring. Rachel turned to Kurt, guilt written all over her face. Blaine couldn't even look at Kurt right now.

"Mr. Hummel..." Rachel started; Kurt rose up his hand before she could continue.

"Call me Kurt. Take Blaine home, get some rest," Kurt said, gently. Rachel nodded, taking a hold of Blaine's arm and walking out of the apartment. Finn looked at his brother before he walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own glee.  
**

**This chapter starts with Kurt's flashbacks so from here on out, you'll see Blaine and Kurt's. I love the responses I'm getting. Keep them coming. Again, thank you to amandapanda222 for being my beta for this story.**

* * *

**.: Chapter 3 :.**

* * *

_It was dark. Blaine was almost home when it happened. His friend had already gone home, so Blaine just went straight to his house. He heard several footsteps behind him and then a few more in front of him. The last thing he remembered was someone chuckling and then a hard force against his face._

* * *

Blaine stayed silent during the walk to the apartment. He heard Rachel talking with Finn. He just wanted to go back to the apartment. He knew he shouldn't have gone. Blaine was not ready to go to any kind of party. Once they reached their building, Blaine hurried into the apartment, leaving Rachel and Finn to themselves.

Rachel looked forward with sad eyes.

"Well, thank you for walking us home, Finn. It was very sweet of you," Rachel said. Finn shrugged his shoulders.

"Is he all right? I mean, I know it's not my business but…" Finn started. Rachel shook her head.

"No, it'll be all right. Please tell Kurt, I mean, Professor Hummel we were sorry about the scene. Again, thank you," Rachel said. Finn nodded, watching Rachel go into the apartment before he turned to leave.

* * *

Kurt had said goodbye to the last of his students twenty minutes before Finn finally came home. He had been waiting impatiently for Finn to get home. After Blaine and Rachel left, Kurt told his students that it was best to get going. There had been questions about Blaine, but Kurt couldn't answer them, and wouldn't even if he could.

Finn closed the door behind him, taking off his jacket.

"Finn? Is everything okay?" Kurt asked, frantically.

"Yeah. I think so, anyway," Finn answered. "Rachel seems cool. Her brother didn't really talk much on the way to their apartment." Kurt rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't imagine so, I was hopeful though…" Kurt said, turning to the living room and, cleaning up a little. Finn walked over by Kurt.

"Hey, Kurt?" Finn started. Kurt walked into the kitchen. The vegan cupcakes were sitting on top of the oven. Kurt took a bite out of one of them. Despite the lack of frosting, they were actually pretty good.

"Yes?" Kurt answered without looking in Finn's direction.

"He…sort of acts…" Finn started, hesitating a little. Kurt turned to face his stepbrother. He had a feeling he knew what Finn was going to say. It had been a while since someone brought something like that up to Kurt.

"You can say it, Finn," Kurt said, gently. Finn looked at Kurt with sad eyes. He remembered the day Kurt told him everything. It still tugged at his own heart to see his own brother like that.

"Like you did…that day you came to me," Finn said with a soft voice. Kurt inhaled sharply. He turned away from Finn, trying to block that moment. It was hard though.

* * *

_Kurt folded his arms across his chest as he walked through his house. His face had blood dripping down his face. His mouth was gaped open. The house was warm, but he held himself around his body, like he was trying to keep from freezing. His father and Carole were not home, but Finn was. He went upstairs, to find Finn._

* * *

Kurt turned back to face Finn.

"I was afraid of that," Kurt whispered. Finn took a step closer to Kurt.

"You okay?" Finn asked. Kurt folded his arms across his chest, one of his many go-to moves when it came to that kind of situation. He looked at Finn and nodded. Kurt wasn't worried about himself. He was worried about his student.

"Do you remember which apartment building they live in?" Kurt asked instead.

* * *

The next day, late in the afternoon, Finn guided Kurt to where he walked Rachel and Blaine the night before. The only problem was that Finn didn't know which loft they lived. They walked into the building, looking back and forth as to which side to start first. Luckily, the decision was made for them when a door slid open, with Rachel walking out of the apartment. She gasped and smiled.

"Finn? Mr. Hummel? What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, strapping her purse of her shoulder. The door was still slid open.

"Rachel, please call me Kurt outside of class," Kurt greeted with a gentle smile. Rachel nodded.

"Hi, Rachel," Finn greeted.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Rachel asked again.

"I just wanted to make sure Blaine was all right. Is he here?" Kurt asked, hopefully. Rachel's smile dropped immediately. She looked back to the open door and went to shut it.

"Everything will be all right, I suppose. I was about to go out and get something to eat and some tea for him. He…he doesn't want to be bothered right now," Rachel answered. Finn could sense the innate protective sibling in her voice. If she was like Finn, she wasn't going to let anybody bother Blaine, no matter the reason.

"Perhaps if I could talk…" Kurt tried. Finn put his hand on Kurt's shoulder and shook his head.

"Kurt," Finn said. Rachel let out a breath.

"I really need to get going. We are so sorry about last night, Kurt. I'm sure Blaine will be all right tomorrow for class. If you'll excuse me," Rachel said. Kurt moved out of the way and watched Rachel walk away. Finn turned to Kurt and knew what his brother was thinking.

"Let's go see a movie. Take your mind off…" Finn started. Kurt started for the door and was about to knock but Finn grabbed his arm.

"Finn…" Kurt warned.

"Kurt? Seriously, let's go see a movie or do something. Let him be for now," Finn said, gently. Kurt sighed.

"I just…"

"I know. But Blaine won't answer, you heard Rachel. And I very much doubt Rachel is going to be understanding if she comes back and we are still here," Finn interrupted. He released Kurt's arm, knowing his brother wasn't going to attempt to knock.

"Okay," Kurt whispered. Finn nodded, guiding his brother away from the door and out of the building.

* * *

Rachel woke up the next morning, showered and got dressed for her first class. Blaine was still lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Blaine barely spoke a word since the night of the party. He said he didn't know what had gotten into him, but that he should never have gone to the party.

"Blaine? Our class starts in twenty minutes," Rachel said, gently, walking to his side of the loft. Blaine looked at his sister.

"I'm not going today," Blaine answered. "I can't right now." Rachel sighed.

"We just started classes, Blaine. You can't skip right now. What about the diner? We are supposed to be there for a few hours of orientation," Rachel stated, sitting at the edge of Blaine's bed.

"I'll be at the diner. I won't screw that up," Blaine said.

"Blaine…" Rachel tried. Blaine turned on his side, with his back facing Rachel.

"I said I'm not going to class. I'll be at the diner," Blaine said with little emotion. Rachel sighed again and got off the bed. There was no talking to Blaine right now.

* * *

Rachel reached her last class of the day, which was Kurt's class. She sat in her desk and looked briefly at Blaine's empty seat. She had done that with each class they had together. Some of the students in the class had asked Rachel what had been wrong with Blaine the night of Kurt's party. She finally got tired of being polite and told anyone who even looked like they were going to ask a question to stop asking, even if it wasn't related to Blaine.

Kurt came into class just as the last student ran to his seat. His first glance was at Blaine's empty desk. He looked at Rachel who just shook her head.

Class continued without a problem. When the hour was up, Kurt had stood by his desk looking over at Rachel.

"Rachel? May I see you before you leave?" Kurt requested. Rachel nodded as she stood by her desk until the last student left the room. Kurt sat on his desk, looking at Rachel.

"How is Blaine?" Kurt asked, immediately. Rachel let out a breath. Kurt meant well, at least that's what she believed.

"He's…well he's coping. He wouldn't come to class today. He said he'll be at the diner, but I'm not sure," Rachel answered. Kurt looked down at his hands. He debated heavily on his next question.

"I really need to…" Rachel started. Kurt looked up at her and got up from his desk.

"Rachel? Did something happen to Blaine?" Kurt asked. Rachel froze. She tried to hold back her aggravation. It was obvious at the party that something was wrong with Blaine. Anybody could see it. She pushed back her hair and folded her arms across her chest.

"Professor Hummel," Rachel started. They were technically still in class technically. Kurt could sense the tension in her voice. "Blaine is my twin brother. I am older than him by two minutes exactly. We have our normal sibling quarrels, but he is my brother and I love him."

"I don't doubt that at all," Kurt responded. Rachel ignored him and kept going.

"That being said, to answer your question, yes, something did happen to Blaine. He is no longer the fun-loving, goofball I grew up with. The Blaine Anderson-Berry that I live with at the loft is someone entirely different. I can tell when his old self tries to come out, but he always resorts back into his shell. I know what happened to him, but he refuses to talk about it, even with me."

Tears threatened Rachel's eyes. She sniffed and composed herself. Kurt looked at her with sad eyes. She was trying so hard to be brave in front of Kurt. He remembered the look on Finn's face when he told him about what happened. He remembered the horror on his face, the guilt in his eyes and the anger that boiled in him.

"Rachel…" Kurt started, but Rachel held up her hand to stop him.

"Professor Hummel, what happened to my brother was terrible and horrifying. Talking about it with our fathers did no good, and he refuses to talk to anybody else." Kurt perked up when she mentioned fathers.

"Fathers?"

"Blaine and I have two gay fathers. Blaine is also gay. They have been wonderful and so worried. I am, too. So, I say this to you with love and compassion for my brother, and please don't take it as disrespect toward you. But it is none of your business. If my brother wants you to know, he will tell you, but it's highly doubtful. So if you'll excuse me, I have to get going before I am late for orientation."

Before Kurt could make any kind of response, Rachel stormed out of the classroom.

* * *

Kurt walked into his apartment and shut the door in defeat. He saw Finn putting containers of Chinese food on the coffee table. He offered a small smile when Finn looked at him.

"I swear this place has the best Chinese food ever," Finn said, happily. Kurt rolled his eyes as he sat down at his couch.

"Don't tell me you came to New York for the food," Kurt joked.

"And you," Finn added, giving Kurt one of the containers. Kurt took it without question.

"Blaine wasn't in class today," Kurt said. Finn stopped briefly before grabbing a container and sitting beside Kurt.

"What about Rachel?" he asked.

"She was there. I tried to talk to her," Kurt said, fiddling with the lid but not opening it.

"What did she say?"

"She basically told me to mind my own business. If Blaine wants to talk, he'll talk," Kurt answered. Finn just nodded, opening the container and grabbing a piece of chicken with his fingers and putting it into his mouth.

"That sucks," Finn responded.

"She says that he won't talk about what happened to him," Kurt added.

"Kind of like you back then," Finn stated. Kurt put the container back on the coffee table.

"But I had you. I had my family," Kurt said.

"And Blaine doesn't? He has Rachel. What about his family?" Finn retorted.

"Two gay fathers. She says they have been wonderful, but talking to them doesn't help him. I understand the feeling. I just…" Kurt started. Finn put his chicken down and put his hand on Kurt's arm.

"Don't you remember? You did the same thing. You told me what happened and while you did tell Burt and mom about it, you shut down. It took you a long time to talk about what happened. You struggled to even tell me," Finn said. Kurt sighed and leaned back in his couch.

* * *

_Kurt knocked on Finn's bedroom door; wanting Finn to answer but also hoping he was playing some game that he couldn't pull away from. Finn called for Kurt to come into the room. Kurt hesitated. He could go to his room and isolate himself. _

_He couldn't do that. He wouldn't be able to hide himself from his family for long. Kurt opened the door with shaky hands. Finn was sitting on his bed, browsing on his phone when he looked up at Kurt. His eyes widened and mouth gaped open._

"_Kurt! What the hell happened? Did someone hurt you?" Finn sprung off the bed. Kurt couldn't hold back his tears anymore. He cried, holding onto his brother. Finn froze for a moment but held onto Kurt as he cried._

* * *

"I want to help him," Kurt declared. Finn smiled.

"I know you do. Just don't push so hard, or you'll end up pushing him away before you can do anything," Finn advised. Kurt let out another sigh. Finn was a big goofball and sometimes he can't believe the things that come out of his mouth, baffling or just wise.

"I don't give up easily," Kurt said, slightly joking. Finn picked up his chicken again.

"You wouldn't be Kurt if you did give up easily."

* * *

Blaine did show up at the diner for the brief orientation. When Rachel arrived, Blaine was outside the diner waiting for her. He offered a small smile before they walked in to find the manager. It was only for a couple of hours. Once they were finished, they grabbed some food and headed back to the apartment. When they reached their door, a man in a dark brown uniform greeted Rachel. She signed a piece of paper and accepted a rather large package.

"What's that?" Blaine asked as he closed the door. Rachel put the package on the kitchen counter. The return address was for Lima, from their parents.

"I'm not sure. It's from Daddy and Papa," Rachel said, happily. Blaine pulled out their food while she opened up the box. The large box had another black-looking case inside. She gasped as she realized what it was.

"Blaine! Daddy and Papa sent your violin!" Rachel picked up the case and pushed the box out of the way. Blaine looked up and saw Rachel putting the case on the counter and opening it.

Blaine hadn't touched his violin since the incident. He walked up to the violin and examined it. Rachel had a large smile on her face. She always enjoyed listening to Blaine playing the violin. He could also play the piano, but the violin was his all-time favorite. Blaine touched the musical instrument. It had been so long.

* * *

_Blaine yelled as someone stood on his hand and pressed them down into the asphalt. His eyes were closed. He didn't need to open them to see how many people were around. It was dark and he was sure they were alone. There was laughing, some spitting and lots of kicking. _

"_If we break your fingers, what good would you be anymore?" one guy asked, kicking Blaine in the stomach again. _

* * *

Blaine's hand jerked away from the violin as if it was too hot to touch. He stepped back, breathing heavily. Rachel looked at him with worry written all over her face.

"Blaine? Are you okay?" she asked. Blaine looked at her with sad eyes. Of course, nothing happened so badly to his hands that couldn't be fixed or healed. The violin was always his right hand, but now he could barely touch it.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Do you wanna put the violin by our other stuff? Maybe we can rent some cheap storage space," Blaine answered, walking back over to his food.

Storage?

"Blaine, Daddy and Papa sent you the violin. Why would you want to put it in storage?" Rachel asked.

"I have no use for it right now," Blaine responded. Use for it now, not use for it at all. Rachel thought for a moment before closing the case.

"Why don't I put it on your side of the loft? This way, if you need it or want it, it'll be there for you," Rachel suggested, carrying the case over to Blaine's side. Blaine didn't stop her. He just shrugged and went back to his food.

She had a point, but it was highly doubtful he'd ever need it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own glee.**

**Again thank you to amandapanda222 for being my beta.**

**The responses are great! I never thought I would write something angsty like this so it's great to get these positive responses. This chapter actually almost made me cry. Enjoy!**

* * *

**.: Chapter 4 :.**

* * *

Blaine went back to class after that weekend. He hadn't touched his violin since his dads sent it to them. It was like a precious jewel and if he touched it, spikes would fall down on his head and a giant boulder would chase him. He always left Kurt's class immediately when the time was right. He felt embarrassed.

Rachel told him that everything would be okay, but he wasn't sure he quite believed it. He and Rachel arrived at the diner for their shift. Rachel had sung a few times on stage, but Blaine still refused to step onto it. He could also play the piano, but he still refused to touch any instrument.

While Blaine was clearing the table, he heard a couple of familiar voices. He looked up to see Kurt, walking midway into the diner and seeing Blaine. Kurt hesitated before he made his way to Blaine.

"I have to…" Blaine started to walk away but Kurt gently grabbed a hold of his arm, gently.

"Blaine? Can we talk for a moment?" Kurt asked. Blaine pulled his arm out of Kurt's grasp.

"I have to work," Blaine mumbled.

"How about on your break?" Kurt offered.

"Already had it," Blaine answered, a little too quickly. Rachel smiled at her customers before walking away and seeing Blaine and Kurt talking with each other. She sighed as she walked over to her brother.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Sure. I just need to get back to work. Sorry, Mr. Hummel," Blaine said, walking away into the back room. Kurt let out a breath.

He had been trying to talk to Blaine for the last few days. Talking to Rachel didn't help much, even if he did respect her for being so protective of her brother. Finn had left the other day, so now Kurt was alone to ponder his thoughts on the situation. Finn told him not push too hard, but it was difficult when Blaine wouldn't talk to Kurt.

Rachel turned to Kurt, pushing a strand of hair away from her mouth.

"Please don't take it personally," Rachel said.

"I'm not. I just want to talk to him, see how he is. I get the feeling he's doing everything possible to avoid me," Kurt explained.

"He's still a little embarrassed, I think," Rachel said, unsure of her answer. "He gets off in an hour. I work a little later, so he'll stay and wait for me. If…you want to wait that long," Rachel offered.

"I don't want to cause trouble, but I would like to stay and at least try to talk to him, let him know there's nothing to be embarrassed about," Kurt answered. Rachel nodded.

"I think…with a little persuasion, hearing that from you would be best," Rachel said. Kurt nodded.

"All right. I'll wait then," Kurt said, taking a seat at an empty table. Rachel smirked.

"In that case," she said, pulling out her notepad. "Hi, I'm Rachel and I'll be your waitress today."

Kurt chuckled.

* * *

Blaine clocked out on his last hour. He saw Kurt had stuck around, waiting for him most likely. He had to wait for Rachel to get off her shift because there was no way he was letting her walk home by herself. When he came out of the back, Kurt was still at his table, sipping on his soda. Blaine could leave and then come back, but he knew Rachel would find out.

He took a few steps toward Kurt's table, his heart racing with every step. Kurt was an attractive man, and obviously, he cared about Blaine. Kurt looked up from his drink and smiled.

"Are you clocked out?" he asked. Blaine nodded as he sat in the empty seat across from him. That was a good sign, Kurt thought.

"How are you? Do you like working here?" Kurt started. Blaine cleared his throat, readjusting himself in the chair, a sign of an uncomfortable situation.

"It's all right, I guess. It's a job for now," Blaine answered. Kurt cleared his throat, pushing himself further up against the table. He never liked small talk. Clearly, Blaine didn't like it, either.

"Blaine, I just wanted you to know that there's nothing to be embarrassed about. What happened at my apartment…whatever happened, it's okay," Kurt started off. Blaine tensed a little, but visibly relaxed.

"Those vegan cupcakes you made were pretty damn good," Kurt added. Blaine let a smile slip, chuckling a little.

"Thanks. They're pretty simple to make," Blaine responded. Kurt licked his lips as he mentally prepared for what he wanted to say next. Rachel walked by the table, giving Kurt another cup of Diet Coke and walking off.

"I may be…overstepping my boundaries, but if you ever want to talk about something, I'm always available. Anything, whether it's school or something that has happened to you," Kurt noticed Blaine's change in demeanor. Blaine looked away and folded his arms across hic chest.

"I just wanted to let you know…" Kurt said, and then Blaine looked up at him.

"Do you know something already?" Blaine asked, suddenly. Kurt blinked.

"No, I don't. I promise. I talked with Rachel for…" Kurt started again. Blaine stood up from the chair.

"Wait? Rachel told you?" Blaine almost snapped. Kurt held up his hands. Rachel was at the counter filling up saltshakers when she heard Blaine's voice grow.

"No! She didn't tell me anything, I was just trying to offer you my guidance," Kurt said, frantically.

"I don't need your guidance, Mr. Hummel. It's none of your fucking business," Blaine said, anger apparent in his voice. There weren't many people in the diner and the manager had already left for the day. Rachel rushed over to Blaine's side. Kurt got up from the table, trying his best to keep his calm. He knew how Blaine was reacting all too well.

"Blaine…I'm just trying to help, there's no need to be like that with me," Kurt offered. Blaine looked at him with apathetic eyes.

"There is when you're butting into something that doesn't involve you. I'm fine. I wish people would believe that," Blaine answered.

* * *

"_I said I'm fine, Rachel! Get it through your fucking head!"_

* * *

"_I'm fine, Finn. Leave me the fuck alone!"_

* * *

Rachel put her hand on Blaine's shoulder. He flinched at the touch, causing Rachel to pull it away quickly, like it was too hot to touch.

"I know the feeling," Kurt said, softly. Blaine scoffed a little.

"I highly doubt that," Blaine challenged.

"Do you think you're the only _out_ kid who has had deal with life growing up in Lima, Ohio?" Kurt challenged back.

Blaine hadn't expected that, neither did Rachel.

"Out?" Rachel asked. Kurt nodded.

"I'm gay, too," Kurt said. Blaine's hardened glance softened. "So I would understand, trust me."

There was sadness in Kurt's voice and Blaine felt it.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel…I didn't mean to disrespect…" Kurt offered a smile and shook his head.

"Call me Kurt outside of class, Blaine. And there's no need to apologize. My offer still stands, if you want to talk. I'll listen and it won't go past you and me. You can trust me," Kurt added, taking his wallet out and putting a few bills on the table.

"I hope you two go home in time to do that assignment I gave today," Kurt said with a smirk. That warranted another light laugh from Blaine. Rachel smiled a little.

* * *

It had been a couple of weeks since Kurt told Blaine that he was gay. Blaine still hadn't spoken to Kurt about anything that wasn't school related. Blaine wasn't avoiding Kurt anymore, but he wasn't talking either. It was the last day of class before the brief fall holiday when Kurt dismissed the class early. Blaine was one of the last to leave with Rachel waiting outside for him.

"Blaine? You have a minute?" Kurt called. Blaine looked over at Rachel.

"I'll catch up with you if you want to wait in the courtyard," Blaine said. Rachel looked at Blaine for a moment then nodded before turning to leave.

"What's up?" Blaine asked. Kurt cleared his throat, leaning against his desk. He looked at Blaine, debating on how to phrase what he wanted to say.

"How are you doing?" he started. It wasn't exactly the best way to begin, but Blaine didn't reject it. He seemed more relaxed than the last time Kurt spoke with him. His hair was slightly gelled with strands of curls hanging around his forehead. He wore a dark gray shirt with a white long sleeved shirt underneath and dark-washed jeans.

Kurt could mentally slap himself for thinking it, but Blaine looked handsome. It may be inappropriate, but he didn't say it out loud. Kurt wasn't blind. Blaine was definitely a handsome man.

"I'm fine," was Blaine's immediate response. Kurt expected it, but that didn't mean he wasn't disappointed.

"Do you work today? We can meet somewhere for coffee or something and just talk," Kurt offered.

"No, I don't work today. I'm not really up for talking either, but thanks," Blaine said, turning toward the door.

"When will you be up for talking then?" Kurt took a bold move. Blaine stopped midway to the door. The coolness of the air crept up to his face. Good thing too, since his face felt like it was burning as he turned to his teacher, eyes squinting.

"I'll let you know," Blaine said with a calm voice, but Kurt could hear the irritation behind it. It was almost the beginning of October and they had a few days off. Kurt had to take the chance while he still had it, even if it meant angering Blaine.

"I know it sounds like I'm being pushy," Kurt began and Blaine scoffed.

"You think?" Blaine asked, sarcastically. Kurt ignored it.

"I'm just trying to get you to talk to me. I want to help you." Kurt took a few steps forward, unfolding his arms. Blaine almost took a step back, but he didn't. He heard this same phrase before.

His fathers said it constantly. The counselor said it. Rachel said it. Hell some of the friends that still spoke to him said it. Blaine heard it all. His fathers and Rachel were worried. The counselor was just doing his job and being paid to do nothing. His friends seemed like they cared, but didn't. Blaine let out a long sigh.

"Why do you care? I'm just a student in your class that you have to put up with for the whole year. Just because you went through something similar, it doesn't mean that you are number one on my list of someone to talk to. If I don't want to talk about it, I won't! So please, drop it, Mr. Hummel."

Blaine turned around and raced to the doorway. He was almost out of sight until he heard Kurt speak again.

"Who was the first person you told?" he asked. Blaine stopped dead in his tracks at the question.

"What?" he asked, dumbly. He heard Kurt step forward. His voice was soft and gentle when he repeated the question.

"Who was the first person that popped into your mind when it happened? Who did you go to? I have a feeling it wasn't one of your dads or a friend," Kurt said the last part, barely above a whisper. Blaine closed his eyes and remembered.

* * *

_Blaine could barely move. He felt a little cold which was unusual because it was hardly above seventy degrees that night. He was alone. Nobody was around, and it was right then that he decided he preferred that. He groaned as he tried to move. _

_His face was covered in blood, his pants were covered with footmarks, and he felt like he was kicked by every one of them. He didn't touch one side of his face. He knew all too well what was there and that's when the tears came rolling down. _

_He patted his pants pocket. His phone was still there. He pulled it out and tried to look for a specific contact. When he found it, he pressed the call button. Two rings later the phone picked up._

"_Blaine?" Rachel asked, baffled at him calling her. It was late, and Blaine was supposed to be home by then. "Daddy and Papa are wondering…"_

"_Rachel?" Blaine choked, his voice groggy and slightly pitched. He was in a lot of pain. Rachel gasped at the other end._

"_Blaine! Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?" They were twins after all. Blaine could always tell when Rachel was hurting and vice versa. _

"_Please, come get me," Blaine managed in a low tone. He felt so tired._

"_I'm coming to get you, Blaine. Don't worry! Do you know where you are? Are you still by the school?" Rachel asked. _

"_Park," Blaine answered. _

"_Stay with me, Blaine! I'm coming to get you! Stay on the phone with me! Don't go anywhere, Blaine Anderson-Berry!"_

* * *

Blaine had been silent for quite some time. He opened his eyes, feeling moist. He took in a quick breath.

"Rachel," he muttered. Kurt figured that was his answer.

"Sister. I went to my brother. It still hurts to think about that particular moment," Kurt said gently, putting his hand on Blaine's shoulder. This time, Blaine didn't back away from it or slap Kurt's hand away.

"I want to forget," Blaine admitted, not turning to face Kurt.

"Forgetting isn't an option, unfortunately. You know what is though?" Kurt asked. This time, Blaine turned to face Kurt.

"What?"

"Moving forward," Kurt answered. Blaine hated that answer.

"I can't move forward. You may have been able to, but it's not an option for me," Blaine snapped. This time, Kurt sighed in frustration. He was going to get through to Blaine, no matter what.

"It is an option for you, Blaine. It is always an option; you just refuse to take it. You know, by building up those walls of yours, cutting yourself from everything, pushing away your friends and family, you are letting _them_ win!"

That last part hurt. Blaine said nothing, so Kurt continued.

"I understand it all, Blaine. I know what it's like. The humiliation, the vulnerability, the guilt, detaching myself from everything I knew and used to love. You name it, I know it. You asked me why I care, because I can. I know that deep down inside, you are a remarkable person. Rachel told me you used to be a fun-loving goofball. He's still in you, just let me help you get him back."

Blaine mentally told himself not to cry, but it was so difficult when Kurt brought up Rachel. He and Rachel used to be so different with each other. They always competed for solos, and played pranks on each other. His heart was pounding rapidly. He missed that so much.

"It hurts," Blaine admitted in a whisper. Kurt nodded.

"I know," Kurt answered. Blaine felt a buzz in his pocket. It was probably Rachel wondering where he was, but he ignored it.

"How long…how long did it take for you to talk about it again?" Blaine asked. That was definitely a step forward. Kurt let out a breath as he remembered.

"Months."

* * *

"_Kurt?" Finn asked from the other side of the closed door. Kurt was sitting at his desk, typing on his computer. He didn't bother answering Finn because he always opened the door and came in without permission._

_And he did._

"_Finn? What do you want?" Kurt asked, not looking away from his computer screen._

"_I thought maybe we could…hang out. Watch movies, eat some pizza, talk…" Finn said the last part hesitantly. Kurt sighed and shook his head._

"_I'm fine. I'll be here working on this all night," Kurt answered. Finn groaned and Kurt ignored him. He didn't hear Finn storm up to Kurt's laptop and close the lid, glaring down at Kurt. _

"_What the hell? I didn't save yet!" Kurt snapped._

"_I'm not asking you to hang with me, I'm not giving you a choice to say no. I learned that the hard way too many times," Finn stated, firmly. Kurt's dad had let Kurt be, and so did Carole. His friends didn't know what to do, so they did nothing. Fin,n on the other hand, was the only one not giving up._

"_I will do as I please, Finn. Leave my room," Kurt demanded. _

"_No. You have not been the same since you came home that day. I want to help you! You're my brother! I didn't know you were hurting and I didn't help you then. Let me help you now!" Finn yelled._

_Good thing their parents weren't home. Burt would have dragged Finn out of the room, and then tried to talk to Kurt about it. He loved his dad, he really did. Burt just didn't want to push his son. _

"_You can't help me! Nobody can help me! Don't you get it! I'm broken! I'm damaged! I'm fucked! I'm beyond help! The sooner you see that, the better I can get on with my life!" Kurt yelled back, opening up his computer again. Finn unplugged it from the plug and took the computer away._

"_Finn Hudson!"_

"_Kurt Hummel! You are not damaged or broken or any of those things. You are not beyond help. You are refusing help! You are letting those jackasses win by feeling like you have been defeated! I know…I know I can't understand exactly what you been through. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let you push me away because you think you are damaged goods. You're my brother. I love you. Don't push me away. Don't shut me out. Let me in to help you come back," Finn pleaded, feeling tears well up in his eyes._

_Kurt's bottom lip trembled. He closed his eyes, letting the tears fall down his cheeks. Finn put Kurt's computer back on the desk and wrapped his arms around Kurt's shoulders, and let him cry. _

* * *

Kurt owed Finn a lot, no matter what the big lug said. At that moment, he wished Finn had stayed a bit longer.

"Please…let me help," Kurt nearly begged. Blaine gulped and let out a breath.

"What if I'm beyond help?" Blaine challenged, sadly. Kurt just flashed a warm smile.

"You're not. I won't let you be."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own glee**

**Okay, I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update this story. But here is the next chapter and all the before chapters are properly beta'd and will be from now on. I would really love to hear your opinions on this story and whether you want to see this continued. I love this story and want to keep it going, I really want to know your honest opinions on it. **

**So, enjoy the new chapter. I'm going to try my best to keep this story updated, but I can't make promises. **

* * *

**.: Chapter 5 :.**

* * *

Autumn in New York was beautiful, but a little chilly. Rachel had to spend that day working at the diner. Fortunately, Blaine had the day off. When the time came, Blaine left the apartment to meet Rachel at the diner. When he arrived, Rachel was waiting outside, but she was not alone. She was talking, and laughing, with some guy that was insanely taller than her. His hair was auburn and he wore a jean jacket with dark jeans.

Rachel looked away from the tall guy and saw Blaine coming toward them. She smiled and said something to the auburn, which resulted in him turning around to meet Blaine, face to face.

"Hey, Rachel," Blaine greeted.

"Hi, Blaine. Oh! This is Jesse St. James. Jesse, this is Blaine, my twin brother," Rachel introduced. Blaine nodded as he held his hand out to Jesse.

"Nice to meet you, Blaine," Jesse said, taking the offering hand.

"Likewise. Do you work at the diner now?" Blaine asked, releasing Jesse's hand.

"No. I'm actually a student at NYADA, sophomore. This is the first time I came to the diner. Food here is great. I know I should watch what I eat, but Rachel was my waitress and she was pretty persuasive when it came to the desserts," Jesse responded. Blaine let out a breathy chuckle while a blush crept onto Rachel's cheeks.

Blaine didn't miss the way Jesse smiled at his sister.

"Well, I need to get going. Nice meeting you two. Hope to see more of you, Rachel," Jesse said with a sweet smile before turning around and walking away. Rachel smiled shyly and waved to Jesse. Blaine waited until Jesse was out of sight before turning to his sister with a baffled expression.

"What?"

"Sophomore at NYADA? Did you tell him about your audition?" Blaine asked as they walked down the sidewalk. Rachel shook her head.

"No. I would rather not go down that memory lane again. I'm happy with NYU," Rachel said, more or less trying to convince herself than Blaine. Her brother didn't believe it. Rachel always pushed her hair behind her ear and avoided eye contact when, she was lying.

"I know you're not. Can't you re-audition?" Blaine asked. Rachel sighed.

"The dean hated me. He's a grumpy old man and said that I lacked any passion or confidence. Why would I want to go to a school like that?" Rachel declared, her voice raising an octave. It always did whenever she was irritated.

"It doesn't hurt to try," Blaine commented.

"That's the same advice you should have followed when you were going to apply for Julliard," Rachel retorted. Blaine stopped walking. Rachel turned around, guilt written all over her face as she sighed, pushing her hair back again.

"I'm sorry…"

"You're right. I'm not one to talk. Do whatever you want," Blaine said, nonchalantly. Rachel looked at him with a sad expression. He hated it when she looked at him like that.

"I didn't mean to bring that up," Rachel said.

"Don't lie. You did, too. Don't worry about it, though," Blaine said and continued to walk. Rachel stood in her place. Blaine walked a few steps ahead of her, until he heard her yell to him.

"We're in New York, Blaine!" Rachel yelled. Blaine turned to his sister with a baffled expression.

"I'm aware of that. We've been here for over a month now," Blaine answered. Rachel groaned.

"That's my point. We are not in Ohio anymore. You can be free here. This is your chance and mine to start over. Have you spoken to Kurt yet?" Rachel asked, taking a few careful steps toward her brother.

It was the first time she was truly confronting Blaine since they arrived. Their dads told her that what Blaine needed was support and to let him get back on his own feet. She was always by his side. She hoped that one day he would open up to her and talk about everything that happened. That didn't happen. He didn't talk to their fathers, no matter how many times they sat down with him.

"Not you, too," Blaine mumbled.

"It's always been me, Blaine. I'm not just now coming into this. You won't touch your violin. You act as if you did, you'll burn yourself. You don't sing anymore and you…you are so closed off," Rachel choked, tears cascading down her cheeks. It had been a long time since Blaine had seen her cry.

"You don't get it," Blaine said, and immediately regretted it. Rachel wiped her eyes away forcefully, furrowing her eyebrows.

"No! I don't get it, because you won't let me help you. I miss my brother! I miss how we used to be. I get why you wouldn't talk to a counselor, or Daddy and Papa. Maybe I get why you wouldn't talk to me, but Kurt seems to understand what you went through. What's stopping you from talking to him? Why are you refusing a chance to be yourself again?"

Blaine gulped.

* * *

_Rachel had finished brushing her hair before crawling into her bed. It had been a long day. She heard her daddy and papa talking with Blaine for hours. They talked more than Blaine did. Rachel hated seeing her brother like that. _

_The night she picked him up, she didn't know what to think. He was beaten and bloody. The very idea of what was on his face really sickened her. How could anybody do that to her brother? He was the kindest, goofiest boy she had ever known. Sure, they got into their quarrels. What siblings didn't? _

_They constantly competed with each other, and kept score._

_They kept each other's secrets, no matter how embarrassing or personal. _

_Whenever Rachel had a bad day at school or, boy trouble, Blaine would let her crawl onto his bed and watch sappy movies and eat junk food. _

_She didn't hear anything else downstairs. There was a pair of footsteps coming up the stairs. She only assumed that it was Blaine going to his room. Rachel settled herself under her comforter when there was a slight knock on her door._

"_Come in," Rachel said. The door opened, Blaine peeking behind it._

"_Blaine?" Rachel gasped. Blaine came into Rachel's room, closing the door quietly behind him. "Everything okay?" _

_Blaine looked at Rachel and shook his head. He looked like he had been crying when talking with their dads. Rachel hated seeing that. She scooted over in her bed and patted the empty spot. Blaine walked over and lay down beside her, his head leaning on her shoulder._

"_Do you want to stay in here tonight?" Rachel whispered. She felt Blaine nod and start sniffling. The tears were starting again. Rachel wrapped her arm around Blaine's shoulder, resting her hand on his arm. Blaine didn't sleep much that night, but neither did Rachel. _

* * *

"Rachel…" Blaine started.

"Blaine, I love you. You're my brother and I'll always be on your side. Which is why I want you to please take the chance to be free here. I know it won't happen overnight but I don't want you to be closed off anymore. I want my brother back."

Blaine looked down at the sidewalk, letting out a breath before looking at his sister.

"I…"

"Please, think about it. You're not broken. Let yourself heal," Rachel said, her voice soft and gentle. Blaine said nothing as he and Rachel walked back to the apartment in complete silence.

* * *

The next day, Blaine was cleaning the piano keys at the Starlight Diner during his shift. Rachel was behind the counter, filling up the ketchup bottles. There wasn't much of a crowd at the moment. Blaine got up from the piano when he turned to see Kurt walk into the diner.

"Hi, Kurt," Rachel greeted with a wide smile. Kurt returned the smile before walking over to Blaine.

"How are you, Blaine?" Kurt asked. Rachel saw a customer sit in her section. She looked at Blaine once before going to attend to her customer. Blaine closed the piano lid, getting up from the bench.

"I'm all right. How are you?" Blaine asked.

"Fall breaks are usually my catch-up days," Kurt answered. Blaine smiled a little.

"You know, if you didn't give us assignments during the break, you wouldn't have to play catch up," Blaine teased. Kurt laughed a little.

"But then that's no fun," Kurt responded, playfully.

"You're not having fun playing catch up," Blaine pointed out.

"You, sir, make a valid point," Kurt said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Does that mean I don't have to do the assignment?"

"You make a valid point, but I didn't say I would take it into consideration," Kurt responded. Blaine chuckled as he got off the stage. Before Kurt could say anything else, he heard Rachel squeal when someone else walked into the diner. Blaine looked up and frowned.

Jesse St. James.

"Hi, Jesse. I have a break coming up, do you want to wait for me?" Rachel asked.

"Sure," Jesse responded. Kurt smiled at the sight

"Cute," Kurt commented.

"I don't think I like him," Blaine responded as he watched Jesse sit on one of the bar stools, not even bothering to come over to Blaine and say hi. It might have been because Blaine was staring at him like if Jesse made one wrong move, Blaine would pounce on him. Kurt chuckled.

"Have you talked to him at all?" Kurt asked.

"I met him yesterday," Blaine answered. Kurt took a step forward, getting a whiff of Blaine's aroma, a mixture of coffee and some kind of scent from shampoo.

"Rachel looks smitten. He may not be a bad guy. She seems like a pretty good judge of character," Kurt said.

"I'm her brother. By default, I don't like anybody that takes an interest in her," Blaine responded. Kurt laughed lightly.

"Cute. Finn was like that when I started dating this one guy when I moved to New York. I'm older than Finn, but he's taller and a football player," Kurt stated. Blaine smiled a little. Rachel was talking with Jesse then looking back to Blaine.

Blaine walked over to Jesse, with Kurt following behind him. Jesse turned to Blaine and smiled gently.

"Hi, Blaine," Jesse greeted.

"Jesse. What's going on?" Blaine asked. Rachel cleared her throat, but Jesse spoke first.

"I actually asked Rachel if she would like to go out with me tonight. If it's okay with you," Jesse said.

"Blaine is not my father," Rachel said, slightly offended. Jesse looked at Rachel.

"I know, but you speak very highly of Blaine. I don't want do anything to ruin that. I have nothing but good intentions," Jesse said, turning back to Blaine.

"You sure you want to take my sister out? She likes to talk," Blaine said, somewhat jokingly. Rachel huffed. Kurt nudged Blaine playfully while Jesse laughed with good nature.

"I am definitely well aware of that. That's no problem, I love a woman who speaks her mind frequently," Jesse answered.

Good answer, Blaine thought.

"I think it's sweet," Kurt commented.

"I get off in a few hours. Do you want to meet…" Rachel started.

"No, he's going to pick you up at our apartment," Blaine interrupted. Rachel glared at her brother.

"I prefer that anyway, Rachel. This way I know I see you from the very beginning to the very end," Jesse said, sweetly.

Blaine tried not to roll his eyes, but at least the guy wasn't acting arrogant, not yet anyway.

"I'll give you my address," Rachel said, grabbing her pen and writing frantically on her little notepad. Someone from the back shouted that Kurt's pick up order was ready. Blaine went around the counter while Rachel handed the paper to Jesse.

"Thank you. I'll pick you up tonight at seven?" Jesse asked.

"Perfect," Rachel said with a wide smile. Kurt thought it was cute.

"Rachel? You want to ring Kurt up?" Blaine asked. Rachel nearly stumbled on her feet as she grabbed Kurt's order and placed it on the counter. Blaine walked away to start clearing tables while Kurt paid for his food. Kurt grabbed his bag while Rachel rushed to take care of her table before her relief came to give her a break. Jesse waited by one of the empty booths near the door when Rachel practically skipped over to him.

Blaine watched Jesse take Rachel outside, where it was less noisy and a little more private, or maybe just further away from him. It didn't matter. Blaine could still watch them through the windows. Kurt gave him a light nudge.

"He doesn't look like a bad guy," Kurt stated.

"Looks can be deceiving," Blaine answered.

"I need to get home, eat and finish with my work. I'm available if you want to talk," Kurt mentioned. Blaine stiffened a little.

"Maybe," he responded. Kurt let out a breath.

"You know where to find me," was all Kurt said before he walked out of the diner, saying goodbye to Rachel before going in the opposite direction. Rachel had that wide smile on her face again. Her eyes always squinted when she was giddy or excited. For once, Blaine felt jealous. He wished he could let himself be that happy.

* * *

Blaine was trying to eat his Chinese food in peace, but apparently that was too much to ask. Rachel kept throwing clothes everywhere in the loft. There was even what looked like old lady underwear hanging on her dresser. Blaine chose not to comment on that.

"Blaine!" And that. Every two minutes she was calling out to him, complaining she had nothing to wear, or that her hair was a mess, or that she took two showers and she still smelled like French fries.

"Eating," Blaine called out, eating his fried rice.

"How can you eat at a time like this?" Rachel stormed out of her side of the loft, trying desperately to get her dress zipped in the back. Blaine finally took pity on his sister and helped her with the zipper.

"It's not my date?" Blaine responded. Rachel huffed and mumbled a _thank you_ before rushing back to her side of the loft.

"He's late!" Rachel yelled. Blaine looked at his watch.

"He's still got three minutes," Blaine responded.

"By performance standards, if you are on time, you are late!" Rachel yelped. Before Blaine could give any kind of response, there was a knock on the door.

"He's here!" She yelled happily, and then squealed. "I'm not ready! Answer the door!" Blaine rolled his eyes. He made his way to the door and slid it open. Behind it was Jesse in a buttoned shirt and tight, black jeans. He held a single stem flower, a tiger lily. Classy, not cliché.

"Evening, Jesse. Rachel is still getting dressed, come on in," Blaine gestured. Jesse nodded as he walked into the loft.

"Very nice. Makes my apartment look like a dump," Jesse joked. Blaine slid the door closed.

"You don't live on campus?" Blaine asked.

"I did my freshman year. I got tired of always having to share a room with a guy who had a girl and a guy in our room all the time." Rachel came running from her side of the loft in her shoes.

"Sorry, Jesse. I couldn't find my other shoe," Rachel apologized. Jesse smiled as he walked up to her and handed her the lily.

"No apologies needed when you are as beautiful as you are," Jesse said with charm. Cheesy, but effective. Rachel smiled as she took the lily.

"Well, I'm ready," she said, walking with Jesse to the door. She turned to Blaine. He knew that look. She was concerned about leaving him alone. He offered a small smile and kissed her forehead.

"Have a good time, Rachel. Jesse, be good to her," Blaine said. Jesse nodded.

"No worries," Jesse said.

"Do you want me to bring you anything?" Rachel asked. Blaine shook his head.

"I'll have the apartment to myself and I can enjoy my Chinese food in peace. I'm good," Blaine joked. He laughed a little when Rachel playfully smacked him on the shoulder. She said goodnight to Blaine as she walked out with Jesse, sliding the door behind her.

Blaine sighed as he went back to his food.

* * *

Thirty minutes had gone by. Rain started to pour. There was no thunder, just the pitter-patter noise of water falling on the apartment building. Blaine finished his Chinese food, took a quick shower and plopped down on his bed. He grabbed his iPod and put in his earbuds to listen to the smooth melody of violins and piano.

It had been a while since he sat down and listened to his music. He always did when he wanted to be inspired. The music vibrated into his ear as he turned over to the violin case. He hadn't opened it or even looked at it. The violin was a birthday present from his fathers.

Blaine had taken a few lessons with a borrowed violin and loved it ever since. His tutor even said that he had a natural gift and if he still practiced for the next few years before college, he could go to great schools, like Julliard. Blaine turned away from the violin case when the world Julliard came into his mind. That was his goal, practicing to get an audition with that school and play the violin for the rest of his life.

It had been a whole year since he touched the violin. Now, it was just within his reach, and yet he couldn't get to it. He pressed pause on his iPod and looked down at his hand. It was healed, no scaring and no real damage.

* * *

_Searing pain through his knuckles added to the blunt forces against his stomach and his legs. Whoever it was, they stood on his fingers and fluctuated their weight. It went from pressing into the asphalt to letting up then starting over again. Blaine was so sure that his fingers were going to break, and the last thing he thought was he would never be able to play the violin anymore._

* * *

Blaine inhaled sharply as he threw off his earbuds and threw his iPod across the bed like it had shocked him. He started breathing deeply and looked at the time. There was no telling when Rachel would be home from her date. The last thing that went through his mind was remembering where Kurt lived.

* * *

Kurt loved the rain. He pushed up his glasses as he finished the last of his papers. Right as he made the last mark, there was a soft knock on his door. It was so soft and low that he wasn't sure if someone was knocking on his door the one across from his. Kurt put down his pen and sauntered over to the door and looked through the peephole.

Blaine.

Kurt tried not to seem eager to get his door open. In the back of his mind, though, he thought, the sooner he could get the door open, the sooner he can get Blaine in his apartment to talk. He pulled off the chain, unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. Blaine was wearing a jacket with water dripping from his hair. He was soaked.

"Hi," Blaine said, slight shiver in his voice.

"Blaine! Get in here before you catch a cold," Kurt urged, grabbing onto his arm and getting him into the warm apartment. In that moment, Kurt realized that he sounded just like his own father. He shook the thought away as he closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry…" Blaine started.

"Don't be sorry. Let's get you out of those wet clothes…" Kurt started but Blaine shook his head.

"It's just my jacket and my shoes. I'm okay," Blaine said, taking off his own jacket. Kurt took a step back to let Blaine take off his jacket and his shoes. Kurt held out his hand so he could take the wet clothes.

"Let me put them near a heater to dry. Have a seat. Make yourself at home," Kurt encouraged. Blaine nodded as he watched Kurt disappear toward the back. He sighed as he took a seat on the couch.

He was at Kurt's apartment. If he left now, he could just pretend that it didn't happen. His body wouldn't let him leave. He was sitting on the couch, listening to the rain, and waiting for Kurt.

He was opening himself up and he was terrified.


End file.
